The David Thompson Special Service Award 2026

The David Thompson Special Service Award is given by the Bouchercon Board to honor the memory and contributions to the crime fiction community of David Thompson, a much beloved Houston bookseller who passed away in 2010. 

Julie Hennrikus is the 2026 recipient of the David Thompson Memorial Special Service Award for her extraordinary efforts to develop and promote the crime fiction field. As the Executive Director of Sisters in Crime, Julie has worked hard to boost crime fiction writers and include diverse voices in the organization. Julie is also a prolific author who writes under the names Julie Hennrikus, Julia Henry, and Julianne Holmes.

Past recipients:

2025 -  Lucinda Surber and Stan Ulrich  

2024 -  Crime Writers of Color                           

2023 -  Sara Paretsky           

2022 -  Les and Leslie Blatt

2021 – Janet Rudolph

2020 – Al Abramson

2019 – Don and Jenn Longmuir
2018 – Lesa Holstine
2017 – George Easter
2016 – Otto Penzler
2015 – Bill and Toby Gottfried
2014 – Judy Bobalik
2013 – Marv Lachman
2012 – Len and June Moffatt
2011 – Ali Karim

Cartoon of the Day: Police Artist

 

PROFESSOR T: SEASON 5 News!

Professor T, Season 5, will officially premiere on Sunday, August 9. 

All 6 episodes will be available to stream early on PBS Passport and Masterpiece Prime Video, ahead of the regular PBS broadcast on October 18, 2026. 

Ben Miller is terrific in his role as Professor T. (Jasper Tempest), an eccentric criminologist. Lots of variety in this season with murder, of course, but also romance. Plots this season will also be 'more complex with multi-threaded crimes.' Can't wait! 

Cooper & Fry TV News

“Cooper & Fry" adapted from Stephen Booth's Cooper & Fry detective series featuring Ben Cooper and Diane Fry will be heading to the U.S. this August on BritBox. "Set in the Peak District, the series follows Cooper, who is struggling to emerge from the shadow of his late father, while Fry is an outsider fleeing tragedies in her past. Together, they tackle grisly crimes in the remote countryside.” All 8 episodes of Season 1 will drop on Monday, August 17 on BritBox Premiere. Not sure where that leaves the rest of us with 'basic"Britbox. If you know, drop a note in comments. I'll update once I find out. I'm sure we won't have all episodes at once, but hope we at least start the series in August. 

A second season has already been commissioned, with episodes adapted from Booth’s novels The Devil’s Edge, Fall Down Dead, One Last Breath, and The Murder Road.  

 

DASHIELL HAMMETT PRIZE FINALISTS: International Association of Crime Writers

Since 1991, the North American Branch of the International Association of Crime Writers has presented the Hammett Prize to the book of the year that best represents the conception of literary excellence in crime writing.  

Here are the 2026 Finalists. Congratulations to All!

El Dorado Drive by Megan Abbott (Putnam)
Party of Liars by Kelsey Cox (Minotaur)
The Big Empty by Robert Crais (Putnam)
The Savage Noble Death of Babs Dionne by Ron Currie (Putnam)
The Lizard by Domenic Stansberry (Molotov Editions)

THE CHELSEA DETECTIVE, Season 4

The Chelsea Detective, Season 4, starts today on AcornTV. I've watched the whole season (sadly only four episodes), but they are really good. Great acting, good plots, and terrific Chelsea-centric ambiance. I really think this is the best season yet. Enjoy!

The Chelsea Detective premieres Today, Monday, August 3 on Acorn TV

Season 4 sees DI Max Arnold (Adrian Scarborough, Falling, Killing Eve, 1917) and DS Layla Walsh (Vanessa Emme, Dublin Murders, Three Families) return to tackle new murder cases within the elite world of Chelsea. The detective duo, together with their team, delve once more into the darker side of Chelsea that lurks beneath its glossy façade.